Page 61 of Mask and the Magnolia

A chase. A hunt.

My primal instincts are taking over and as I come up alongside him, even but from a safe distance, I know exactly how this is going to end.

Des slows down as he tries to catch his breath, laughing to himself as he turns but when he doesn’t see me, he stops and starts searching the forest behind him. He takes a few steps in the opposite direction, hesitantly going back the way we came, but when I see his playful expression turn to one of worry, something inside me softens and I can’t keep this up much longer.

It’s like, I knew he cared about me before this, we’ve been drawn to each other since the beginning and I thought I understood why. We scent matched the same two omegas, we share something that belongs to both of us. It made sense that we felt some sort of pull.

I don’t think that’s what it is anymore.

Not as I watch him nervously search the trees, his eyes straining in the darkness to find just a glimpse of me. Not as I step a little closer, quietly closing in on him without him having a clue I’m less than twenty feet away.

His concern for me is clear, it matches mine for him and it’s practically radiating off of him, and that proves what we share is more than Isaak and Magnolia. It goes beyond just wanting to fuck him into submission because I think he needs it.

”Vin,” Des whispers into the dark as he takes a few more steps away from me. “Where the hell are you?”

I move closer, quietly closing the gap between us and right before he’s about to run back for a search and rescue, I step into his space.

”Boo,” I whisper next to his ear then laugh as he jumps and whips around with his fists up ready to fight. “Worried you lost me?”

”No,” Des grunts, tugging on the front of his jumpsuit and shaking out his arms to downplay what just happened. “I knew you were there.”

”Mhm.”

He gives me a dirty look. “I did. I heard your big ass lumbering through the woods, couldn’t be quiet if your life depended on it.”

”Right.”

”Oh fuck off, Korvin. I was just trying to lighten things up.” Des turns away from me, annoyed as hell and ready to go. “You’re such a fucking downer, all angry and broody all the time.Thought maybe we could have some fun but I guess you forgot what the hell that is.”

I reach out lightning fast, my hand landing on the back of his neck before he has the chance to get away then spin him around and tug him close so he’s facing me. “Don’t pout, Desmond.”

”I’m not,” he whispers, his eyes dropping to my lips as he licks his own. “I don’t pout.”

”Mhm.” I lean in and rub my nose against his, an oddly tender gesture coming from me but even more so between alphas. “Never seen you do it.”

He swallows hard as he nods. “Right.”

”You know what happens now?”

Des shakes his head.

”I catch you.” I ghost my lips over his, the faintest touch making him lean in while I follow the sharp line of his jaw until I can whisper in his ear, “I fuck you.”

Then I’m kissing him.

For the first time in so many goddamn years, I’m kissing someone. Not just anyone, I’m kissing my fucking alpha,mine, and the way he’s kissing me back has all kinds of shit happening that’s been dormant for almost two decades.

My grip tightens on the back of his neck as I lick the seam of his lips, demanding entrance that Desmond doesn’t hesitate to give. My tongue invades his mouth, explores every bit, tangles with his as he does the same. I lift my free hand to his cheek, tilting his head to deepen the kiss, to take what’s mine but it’s not enough.

It’s aggressive and demanding, possessive and rough, but this kiss isn’t enough to give me what I want, what I need but when I slide my hand down his throat to where his zipper starts, Des puts both of his hands on my chest and I freeze.

”What the fuck is wrong with you,” he grunts as I break the kiss. “Did I tell you to fucking stop?”

I frown for a second but only one because Desmond grabs my zipper and yanks it down my body, stopping when he hits the end, right above my dick before he’s pushing the fabric off my shoulders.

With a grin, I unzip him, doing the same as he leans in and kisses me, our movements becoming frenzied as I back him into a tree.

”Fuck,” I groan as Des shoves his hand down the front of my suit and grabs my cock, giving it a squeeze before his pulls it free.